8 responses to “I honestly don’t know what to say about this”

This does seem a bit of a reach. After all isn’t it covered by the health code?
That said I can attest to what a nightmare restroom maintenance can be. If you’ve ever had to manage employees at that level, ignorance and an unwillingness to do what is necessary is a problem. Some people simply have no concept of hygiene. It can even be a cultural issue. Other employees that feel cleaning the restroom is beneath them do some horrendous things. I’ve caught subordinates cleaning counter tops with the toilet bowl brush. Hell you’d be amazed how many idiots don’t even understand the basics of sweeping & mopping.
If you think you don’t have anything to worry about because your company uses a cleaning service think again.
In the end this measure will do little. Education is the key. Is that worth putting more resources toward?

I say if people don’t like the restroom’s cleanliness somewhere, either don’t use them or make it known you won’t be patronizing said restaurant until they fix the problem.

And you are right, its hard to get good employees that will do a good job in service places. Maybe if those that were working those jobs didn’t have the government to fall back on, they would work harder? Legislation won’t fix laziness. It will just make prices rise.

Not to mention that I haven’t seen anywhere in the Constitution that I have a right to a clean bathroom everywhere I go. Kinda funny that this is being discussed when most of the people in the world take dumps behind a shrub and use leaves for toilet paper.

“I say if people don’t like the restroom’s cleanliness somewhere, either don’t use them or make it known you won’t be patronizing said restaurant until they fix the problem.”

What about the unsanitary practices that aren’t obvious? I was in the seafood industry for a long time. From boat to dock to restaurant kitchen I’ve seen it all. It’s not just a question of your using the restroom but do the employees use the same facilities? The CDC says, and I quote, “We estimate that foodborne diseases cause approximately 76 million illnesses, 325,000 hospitalizations, and 5,000 deaths in the United States each year.” See here for report: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/eid/vol5no5/mead.htm
The USDA says that the cost to Americans are “$2.9-$6.7 billion attributed to foodborne bacteria”http://www.ers.usda.gov/Publications/AER741/

“Legislation won’t fix laziness. It will just make prices rise.”

Should we do away with the FDA? CDC? HHS? Ever read The Jungle by Upton Sinclair? It didn’t spur the socialist uprising that Sinclair or Jurgis Rudkus wanted but it was instrumental in improving the safety of your food and therefore your health. Don’t paint the subject with to broad of a brush. I’d still go back to the question that this must already be in the health code.

“Not to mention that I haven’t seen anywhere in the Constitution that I have a right to a clean bathroom everywhere I go.”

“Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness”. Based on John Locke’s writings “no one ought to harm another in his life, health, liberty, or possessions”. Thomas Jefferson included it in The Declaration of Independence. John Locke, father of the free market society, was a pretty radical thinker for his day. Back then some may have said he was a liberal.
The crux of the biscuit is moderation. Yep, just like in your diet and other lifestyle matters your going to need some laws to stay healthy. I would love to think that the free market system would work as touted but it’s difficult to trust it completely.
Ever hear of Sigma International? http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1370/is_n3_v31/ai_19312310/pg_1
I’m betting you haven’t. It took the FDA and the then Customs Department three years to build a case. None of which would have come to light without government intervention. I can assure you this sort of thing goes on to varying degrees in many food industries and eateries.

“Maybe if those that were working those jobs didn’t have the government to fall back on, they would work harder? “

Red herring. Has no bearing on the subject. Some of the worst offenders I’ve ever seen were well paid career Chefs.

So having the government involved means that our food is safer? Cause the government certainly can’t be lobbied or ehhem, bribed, by people with deep enough pockets?

The biggest effects of the FDA et al is making things drastically more expensive. Especially with the communication mediums that we currently have, like the internet, self policing will take care of most issues. Not to mention every local news station in any city has a “that’s messed up” kinda deal that investigates stuff like that.

I just don’t believe that not having a government bureaucracy telling me that something is safe, actually makes it safe. I’d more likely trust the guy who wants my business. Because if I, and others, find out that he’s not running a tight ship, and keeping food safe, I won’t go there anymore. Most other people won’t as well.

Seems like there’s already a private entity that does something similar, except on a broader scale. The BBB maybe?

The Sigma case doesn’t seem to be quite the same deal. They were selling tainted goods and lying to the public about it. That’s cause for someone to sue them and for people to go to jail.

When that happens, I have no problem with the government bringing a case against them. I have issues with the government telling me what is safe and what isn’t. Because who are they to say? If anything, the Sigma case proves my point that even with government folks trying to find if stuff is safe or not, it still gets through. Bad people will do bad things, and if you want freedom, you know that there is always that risk. I’d take freedom with risk over slavery (and still risk) any day of the week.

And for the record, I haven’t read the jungle, but I know what its about.

In a word, yes. Is it a bloated setup? You betcha. If it’s a frozen cheese pizza it falls under the FDA. If you put pepperoni on it the USDA takes over. Stupid system to be sure. Just as government agencies and politicians can be lobbied so can media outlets. The bias that truly matters in the world of media is money. If we only relied on news programs to inform us of food hazards Pepsico would have died in 1993 when the syringe hoax was making headlines. Let’s not forget the 1982 Chicago Tylenol murders. The Tylenol case has never been solved I might add.
Not all commercial cases of food borne illnesses are due to malfeasance or laziness. I would even say the majority of it is due to ignorance. I think commercial institutions are far safer than the average household in regard to food safety. It’s only been in recent memory that Americans have started to learn the dangers of cross contamination. The number one cause of bad grub. FYI, Escherichia coli (e. coli), the one that gets all the press, comes from the digestive tract of warm blooded mammals. A common cause of outbreaks are due to people not properly washing their hands after using the bathroom. Now imagine that person with no T.P.
At your Bar-B-Q

Due to the bad reputation that seafood has, I spent a LOT of time on the cause and prevention of pathogens in our product. Much of the motivation was self preservation. I wanted a better, safer product. The state of Florida, the federal government and trade groups helped me with the information and education. I saw little to no interference or even inspections save for the county health department.

“I’d more likely trust the guy who wants my business. Because if I, and others, find out that he’s not running a tight ship, and keeping food safe, I won’t go there anymore.”

As mentioned I would be overjoyed if the spontaneous order or the ‘invisible hand’ if you will of the free market became a reality. I don’t expect it ever will. History is full of failures in the supply and demand story. Most people think auto mechanics are trying to rip them off. We all agree that lawyers and used car salesmen are scum. Why don’t these people clean up their act? They only have the private entities of the ABA and ASE to police them. Companies are run by people. People do crazy stuff. If the invisible hand theory held any water, spouses wouldn’t beat the snot out of each other in divorce court.

The Better Business Bureau is little more than a mail drop.

You say that the Sigma case is different but it’s not. Hygiene is a matter of safety.

“I have issues with the government telling me what is safe and what isn’t.”

How about the FAA?
It’s just not that black and white. We need to eliminate bureaucracy. Cut out unnecessary programs and reduce spending. $171 billion will be spent on direct farm subsidies over the next decade. The FDA won’t spend four billion in the next decade and that includes pharmaceuticals. It’s nice that your willing to take risks in the name of freedom but I don’t think the jackbooted thugs of the FDA are going to kick in your door. I think the more relevant question is are you willing to risk your families health.
I mention The Jungle only because it was what first brought adulterated and unsanitary foodstuffs to national prominence. Published in 1906. Barely a hundred years ago. It’s actually a good book for the first three quarters. Then it just dives so deep into the socialist drivel it becomes almost unreadable.
I hope you can see that I agree this proposed bill is silly and worthless. I just think some regulations are worthy of our support.

I can live with that Mike. I appreciate that you’re a rational, and civil person. So many in the blog world are not.

Like I said, I can see where you’re coming from, but I wonder if there’s a more efficient way for things to be done, and to be done in the private sector. I would imagine that, in absence of an FDA or USDA, that companies that want to sell the safest and best product would allow self regulation by privately owned groups. Call me crazy, I guess. 😉

I for one would like to say that I support such a measure. You would not believe the number of times that I’ve been using a bathroom (for bathroom’s sake!), and needed more toilet paper to, um, wipe up. Ususally, I’ll just send my anonymous friend to the next stall to grab some…